Fatuma Abdullah: I am motivated by wanting to do better and making an impact
[bctt tweet=”Fatuma Abdullah: My business is special because it contributes to raising confident African children” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] We all know and probably owned at least two of the famous blonde doll in the world, Barbie. It has been an important part of the toy fashion doll market for over 50 years and it doesn’t seem to lose its popularity. A Kenyan-born entrepreneur wanted African girls to embrace their ethnic diversity and allow them to celebrate their uniqueness and thus Akiki Distributors was founded. Fatuma Abdullah is the founder and owner of Akiki Distributors (Pty) Ltd, which manufactures and distributes Akiki Dolls. “Akiki’s Short Stories”, is her first self-published book. The Johannesburg-based entrepreneur has worked in Banking and NGO sectors delivering on development projects across Africa. We had the pleasure of interviewing Fatuma and this is what we learnt from her… Why Akiki Dolls? Akiki Dolls is about affirming the African girls’ confidence. Seeing themselves in a positive light translates to a positive self-image and a healthy self-esteem. I want African children to experience and to grow in love with an Afro-centric 5-year-old girl who they can identify with. I chose the name Akiki, which in Swahili means ruby (the precious stone). A stone associated with nobility, high energy, courage and confidence. Where do you get your inspiration from? I am inspired by my children’s laughter, Akiki’s stories are structured around that happiness. Also, I am motivated by wanting to do better and making an impact. I love reading books on people’s purpose and life lessons, it is stimulating to see we have the power to choose how our story will turn out and the impact we have on others. It gives me the positivity which I carry through Akiki’s ventures. How do you market the dolls you create? And what has been the most successful form of marketing to date? Mostly it has been online. Social media is a good channel for creating product awareness and the reach is global. We are on Facebook, we have an Instagram account and we also market through our website. Word of mouth and online marketing have been very successful for us. What are your responsibilities as the business owner that have been unique to your business? As the business owner, I am the author and Akiki’s dress designer. I envision the illustrations in the books and I also do the marketing of our products. However, with the growth I am looking to delegate some of the responsibilities. Did you have a blueprint/business plan before you started Akiki Dolls? I had a blueprint in my head to begin with but it has evolved since. I was eager to get Akiki into momentum and was working on incremental activities. How closely have you stuck to this initial plan? I have since made the time and gone through the valuable exercise of developing a business plan and having it documented. It’s not vastly different but it puts things into perspective and makes it easier to articulate the specifics. [bctt tweet=”Our children need to see more positive illustrations about themselves & their countries” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What makes the Akiki doll unique? My business is special because it contributes to raising confident African children, by providing them with the play tools and literature that teach and reinforce positive perceptions of black Africans. Our children need to see more positive illustrations about themselves and their countries, they need to read books where they are the stars. Akiki storybooks are concept themed stories all children can relate to and learn from. Did you write Akiki’s short stories, if so, what will the next book be about? If not what would you write about? Yes I did. It was my first self-published book. I have Akiki’s travel series coming up, I am very excited about that and the other stories I am working on. I want to write short stories of African women and men. Everyone has their own magic and it would be interesting to capture that. If you’d like to share your story with She Leads Africa, let us know more about you and your story here.
Amandla Ooko-Ombaka: Ask for forgiveness, not for permission
[bctt tweet=”We need people who can walk between the worlds of business and government @AmandlaOO” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] When you’ve graduated from not one but two Ivy league schools it’s safe to say you are one highly educated individual. Amandla Ooko-Ombaka is not only book smart but has built her professional career with years of experience as a Management Consultant at McKinsey & Company, the world’s biggest consultancy firm. You’d think that would be it for her but not at all. Amandla’s ambition has her advising various non-profit boards as well as co-founding initiatives such as Second Story Africa and the Yale Leadership Institute. We can’t resist adding that she’s currently writing a biography of her late father, top Kenyan lawyer and politician, Oki Ooko-Ombaka. Our SLA contributor managed to secure a few minutes of her time to see if she does ever Our SLA contributor, Diana Odero managed to secure a few minutes of Amandla’s time to see if she does ever catches a break and to find out what motivates her. How does one juggle the various hats you wear and do it so well? I think the notion of daily balance is false so I don’t try and achieve balance on a day to day basis. It’s impossible with the job I do, where sometimes I work 17hr days, to say that I will go to the gym today, I will cook today, I will see my friends today…it’s just not possible. So I think the first step was allowing myself to think about balance over a period of time and that also gives me time to evaluate. Every two months I try to live a balanced life. Meaning in those two months, there’s good periods of working out, of sleep, of seeing my family and of work. [bctt tweet=”The notion of daily balance is false so @AmandlaOO doesn’t try to achieve it on a daily basis” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] The second step was learning how to say no, which I think has been a much harder lesson for me to learn. I find it very hard to say no especially to people I care about. So, I sort of tell the person asking me to do this or the other; that this is a really cool opportunity and I’m grateful but have to say no in the hope that this opportunity will be there again in future. Once I remove this notion that I’m not the only one who can do this thing, it makes it easier to say no. On top of your quite extensive and busy schedule, you are also writing a book. Tell us more about it and why you felt a need to do this now. The book is a biography of my father. It has been a passion project for the past 10 years. My siblings and I had constantly talked about doing it. I finally took some time off between graduating last year and going back to work to put some real time into the book. The process revealed itself in many different ways one being the more we work on this, the more it becomes our own story. We’re discovering who our father was and the contributions he gave to this country and to this world. I realize we are in a very unique position as his children to write about our perspective of him. We are trying to juggle telling his story and telling ours because his story has so much merit to stand on its own but our story is also valid and legitimate. The timing of this could not be more perfect as I finally moved home after living abroad for a while and I would love to get engaged in politics at some point. In many ways, my political identity is very much tied to my father’s political identity. So I need to understand him, who he was in his early years of politics and what formulated his opinions in order for me to make my own opinions. [bctt tweet=”Amandla Ooko-Ombaka’s political identity is very much tied to her father’s legacy” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] You recently completed a dual Masters degree at Harvard, something not many achieve – what motivated you to pursue the two courses – an MBA and MPA/ID (International Development), simultaneously? I chose the dual degree because it was a reflection of who I am as a person. Some people may think it’s a lack of focus but my heart is very much in the public sector and my mind is very much in the private sector and I’ve just stopped fighting that. I’ve embraced who I am and my heart and my mind need different avenues to be fulfilled and to work optimally. Harvard business school catered to my mind and the public sector school while Kennedy catered to my heart. [bctt tweet=”My heart is in the public sector & my mind is in the private sector – Amandla Ooko-Ombaka” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] At a more fundamental level, I think that we need more multidisciplinary thinkers in the world we live in. Things are exceedingly complex and we need the sectors to work together. I don’t think business and government should be the same thing but we need people who can walk between the two worlds. Harvard doesn’t want you to be half a business person and half a public sector person. You should be able to completely hold your own in the two separate schools which I think is really important. I’m multidisciplinary by nature and I think there’s a role for people who think like me. A lot of the things I care about like power and utilities will not be funded by the government. The private sector will fund a lot of these projects, but they need the government to eventually take over asset ownership, right of passage etc. These two disciplines need each other so much more than we like to talk about. It is my life’s mission to bring them closer together. The joint
Social Media Productivity: How much time to spend online?
Social media is like the best thing that happened to us since the invention of jollof rice but some of us have taken this social networking thing too far…we all just need to take a chill pill! Take this quiz to find out if you’re a spending the right amount of time on social media and if it has become your hobby, habit or addiction. [viralQuiz id=11]
Nkem Okocha: I started Mamamoni because of my experience as a young girl
[bctt tweet=”@mobilewomenbiz brings investment to Nigerian women residing in urban and rural slums” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Nkem Okocha is the founder of Mamamoni, a social enterprise that empowers poor rural and urban slum women with free vocational/financial skills and micro-loans. She is very passionate about lifting women out of poverty and her company aims to break the cycle of poverty in Nigeria. Since 2013, she has impacted and empowered over 4000 women in several rural/urban slum communities and given out over 100 micro-loans. Nkem Okocha is a Tony Elumelu foundation Entrepreneurship Programme Alumna, a Young African Leaders Initiative Alumna and LEAP Africa 2016 Social Innovator. Can you tell us about Mamamoni? Mamamoni was born out of my experience. As a young girl with a widowed mother who had no skill and no source of income to take care of her four children, feeding and going to school was a challenge for the family. I wanted to empower the poor women I saw in my community and other communities I visited. Mamamoni’s aim is to help poor women generate livelihood income and also provide capital for those who cannot access finance from commercial banks because of barriers like collateral, transaction history etc. Mamamoni’s web platform enables socially conscious individuals to invest in low-income women by lending to them to fund their businesses. [bctt tweet=”@nkemokocha started Mamamoni to break the cycle of poverty in Nigeria” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] How were you able to get partners and supporters for Mamamoni? I was able to get partners and supporters for Mamamoni when people saw our genuine commitment to lifting of low-income women in different communities. How do you identify women and children to assist? What is the process of getting help though Mamamoni? We identify low-income, rural or urban slum communities through our website and networks then go empower the women in that community. Growing up was tough for you, what advice would you give to anyone going through challenges be it financially, emotionally or physically? I will tell them to stay strong and commit to a purpose that brings joy to them. Regardless of what challenges you may be facing, stay focused and be determined to succeed. Where do you see Mamamoni in the next 10 years? We hope to have empowered over 10,000 low-income women across 20 states in Nigeria through our FinTech platform. If you were made Minister of Women Affairs for a day, what are the two things you would do? One thing will be to ensure every Nigerian woman no matter their economic status has easy access to credit to help them start or scale their business. The second thing will be to ensure all Nigerian girls goes to school and gets an education. [bctt tweet=”Every Nigerian woman should have easy access to credit to help them start/scale their business” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What is the one thing that will always make you smile? The expression of joy in the face of an economically empowered poor woman. If you’d like to share your story with She Leads Africa, let us know more about you and your story here.
Itumeleng Modise: Becoming a muse happened organically and gradually
[bctt tweet=”Itumeleng Modise is a creative at heart who wants to contribute to the arts” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] “Art”, “self-expression”, “spiritual awareness”, and “muse” are some terms which best describe aspiring actress and TV presenter Itumeleng Modise, aka Solar. Originally from the East of Johannesburg and currently based in Pimville, Soweto, Solar is exposed to a peculiar yet balanced mix of subcultures which she uses for inspiration. She spent most of her working life as an Online English Teacher, a role that heightened her communicative skills and compassion towards those willing to learn. Solar is a creative at heart who wants to contribute to the arts. She is particularly interested in telling stories through the eyes of a young, urban black woman. Solar believes that having awareness, of yourself and others around you, helps you navigate through life a lot better. She shares her passion and journey with SLA, inspiring women to persevere and never give up on their dreams. How would you best describe your passion? My passion is communicating through speaking, writing, photography and acting. I’m also passionate about telling stories, my own and those of others, and helping people become more aware of themselves. My stint as an intern copy-writer at an advertising agency also gave me the opportunity to explore my creative writing and thinking in general. Because I believe that I am here to serve others, everything that I do and want to do includes the development of others, especially black women. I would love to work in sectors exposed to platforms that expose me to this. Currently, I am exploring the TV and film industry as an aspiring actress and TV presenter. [bctt tweet=”I believe that I am here to serve others, especially black women @MsSolar8″ username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] I like to believe that I am a grounded person who with the aid of yoga and meditation can tackle life with clarity and peace of mind. Also I aspire to learn how to teach yoga and meditation to others. Especially in communities that are not exposed to this. When did you realize that you are meant to be a muse? I can’t single out a moment or time I realized that I am meant to be a muse. It’s something that just happened organically and gradually. I wasn’t even really aware that I was until other people started to point it out to me. It just comes naturally to me. What messages do you always try to portray through your craft? I always try to portray authenticity. That it’s okay to be yourself and that it’s enough actually. You don’t have to be like someone else to be liked or appreciated or to be influential. What is the hardest thing about breaking into the entertainment industry in South Africa? I would say the hardest thing is gaining recognition whilst totally being yourself. You are constantly told how you should look to be noticed and given a chance. It can be quite shallow because your looks or physical appearance are judged way before your talent is considered in many instances. [bctt tweet=”The hardest thing is gaining recognition whilst totally being yourself – Itumeleng Modise” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What has been your most memorable modeling/tv job? My most memorable TV job was filming my first lead role as an actress for a TV film that featured on Mzansi Magic. It challenged me to bring certain emotions out. The process really humbled me and challenged me to dig deep to bring those emotions out. I was left amazed at my ability to do so. Acting is not easy, whether or not you have received formal training for it. [bctt tweet=”Itumeleng Modise: Acting is not easy, whether or not you have received formal training for it” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Where do you go to find yourself? Finding myself is a process I’m still undergoing. So I wouldn’t say I go somewhere to find myself. However meditating helps me a lot with that process. I meditate to center myself and gain clarity and peace. If you were to recite a poem to strangers, what would the first three lines of the poem say? Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. If you’d like to share your story with She Leads Africa, let us know more about you and your story here.
Phumeza Langa: I’m a serial opportunity sharer, I cannot help myself
[bctt tweet=”People have powerful stories to share and @phumezamzai encounters them as a freelance writer” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Phumeza Langa is a communications consultant and freelance writer from Jo’burg with a passion for uplifting women through her work and life. By day, she is a part of the marketing and communications team at ADT Security, and evenings are for exploring her true passion; writing! Phumeza’s writing is witty, vulnerable and relatable and always carries within it a feminist element of empowerment. SLA contributor Anelisa Nokoyo had a chance to interview this budding star to find out what makes her tick and what her future plans are. Tell us about yourself, who is Phumeza? Phumeza is an only child, born and raised in Johannesburg. I am a social introvert –I read that phrase somewhere, I quite like it. Currently, I’m a lapsing gym-goer (I hate admitting that); a bookworm and I binge watch series in the early hours of some weekend mornings. I am married to a wonderful man, we’re making a life for ourselves as East Randers whilst enjoying as many sho’t left travels as possible. What inspired your foray into the communications industry? I literally stumbled into the communications industry. I was in my Matric year and I had no real idea what I wanted to do after high school. So I went to the guidance counsellor at the time and based on her observations and what she knew of me, she suggested Public Relations. Fast forward a few years, I graduated from the University of Johannesburg and started working in PR agencies. When I was younger I had ideas of being a correspondent, similar to CNN’s Christiane Amanpour. I was fascinated by her work, but more so because she was in conflict zones and reporting on the other side of the war stories we hardly ever hear about –the people’s stories- and ensuring that us, the viewers are aware and know what’s happening in the world. Being a writer allows me to do that as well in my own way, and it has been amazing thus far! I get goosebumps every single time I listen to the interview recordings I’ve done already –people have such powerful stories and lessons to share. You speak a lot about empowering and connecting women through your work. Tell us, how do you go about realising your vision every day? A lot of the time it’s really just trying to connect one woman to another one, whether it’s through knowing one woman who can assist another with a project; partner up with for a venture or even if I can help someone with a contact number or email. I’m a serial opportunity sharer, I cannot help myself. If I know you’re into something, you’re pursuing a passion or thinking of a venture, if I hear or read about something that is related to that, then I will share the information with you and applaud you when I see you rock it good! The other times it’s through my writing and the profiling of women from various backgrounds who are making a positive impact in not only their lives but in the lives of the people around them –whether it’s with their family or their community– through an initiative or business. It is only in recent years that we’re hearing and seeing more positive stories of women doing their very best in what they have chosen to do. I love that! I know there are so many more of these women out there, we all know them and we need to uplift them and one another. What are some of the challenges that have appeared as obstacles in your journey thus far? The one that I have recently started working through is being unable to pursue a course that I had been accepted to do this year. I was unsuccessful in securing a scholarship through some of the places I had applied to. This left me devastated, it wasn’t easy emailing the institution to let them know that I could not take up my spot. I had to acknowledge that I did well in being accepted in the first place –something I didn’t think I would. It would have been the start of a completely different direction of what I’m doing now at work, but it was in line with what I want to be doing more of in the long term. I’m starting to see the whole experience as a lesson in believing in myself more. I’m having those honest conversations with myself to figure out why I didn’t even trust in myself to hold my own. It is an uncomfortable conversation but very necessary, because what we believe of ourselves and our abilities can limit us and what we are capable of achieving in our lives. Yes, the path I thought I would be taking isn’t quite open to me in the manner in which I thought it would but it does not stop me from moving forward and doing what I had set out to do. [bctt tweet=”What we believe of our abilities can limit us and what we achieve – Phumeza Langa” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] There will always be obstacles that need to be overcome, it’s always a matter of reminding myself that I have to carry on. There is more beyond that moment of hardship -like the good things in life that are to be treasured. When did you discover your love for writing and what are your future plans as a writer? My writing started in high school but it was only after my first published piece in 2003 that I really took it seriously. I am that girl who still tries to write letters as often as possible: paper, pen and envelope –everything! When I was at UJ, I jumped at the opportunity to be the Bunting Road campus editor for the UJ Observer and reported to the editor at Kingsway campus. I knew very little about copy-editing and getting
Aisha Akiti: Your hard work can put you anywhere in the world
[bctt tweet=”The best way you can predict your future is to create it – Aisha Akiti” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Meet Aisha Akiti, CEO of Missashleybakes and Eventbyashley, a baking and events planning company. This business was founded a year ago after graduating from her degree. Being a mother of two kids there was no luck finding a job so Aisha decided to create one for herself. In fact, by the age of 10, Aisha was already selling candy, biscuits and doughnuts to her family and friends. Aisha’s favourite part of the business is that she is able to put her passion into reality. She also loves the daily interaction with clients as she helps them choose cakes and styles that match their personalities with the event. The bubbly entrepreneur from Tema, Greater Accra region of Ghana says even though she has had her business for a year she is still excited about it. We interviewed Aisha Akiti and here is what she had to say…. What do you bring into baking and styling that makes your business unique? I provide each client with signature designs and taste, I also treat clients like friends and let them get to know me. What has been your greatest achievement so far? My greatest achievement so far is that I’m able to create a job for myself. After graduating from university, I had no hope finding a good job. In addition, I am proud of the fact that I’m able to provide short-term job opportunities to other young people as and when my business allows. How do you plan on taking your business to the next level? I intend to take my business to the next level by introducing new products and services and hiring a social media manager to build my online reputation and engaging customers. Getting a mentor, someone who’s been there, done that and learned lessons the hard way is indispensable. Also important is having a good team, providing them with good working environment and training. I believe when the people around you improve, your business will improve. What four qualities do you think every young entrepreneur in your industry should have? I believe every young entrepreneur in my industry must possess these qualities: Passion and leadership skills: Your passion will drive you to turn your ideas into reality. Good numerical skills: You will need to measure ingredients and other basic items. Creativity: Anyone can bake but to stand out from your competition the element of creativity is necessary. With creativity, you’re able to offer something different from the crowd. You must be able to work under pressure. Baking is a lot about timing and it’s important to grasp the right time that may cause unnecessary stress. You’ll also need the ability to face the immense amount of stress when the end product does not turn out as expected. Teamwork is also extremely important in a kitchen. You need to be able to work with other people to make beautiful creations on a large scale. What has been your overall experience in this industry? My overall experience in this industry is that the best people, no matter who they are, who they know or where they are on the ladder can succeed with their work being recognised. Your hard work can put you anywhere in the world. Fear must be removed and you must focus on getting to where you want to be as fast as possible. [bctt tweet=”No matter who you are, you can succeed with your work being recognised” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] If it takes one skill to be the best, what skill would you choose? Why? I would choose communication skills because having a good ability to communicate will help you to build up relationships, present ideas and most importantly make you a better leader. With good communication skills, you will be confident to talk and present your thoughts in public thus boosting your chances of success when you have to negotiate or persuade a client. A good leader is not the most intelligent one but the one who can inspire everybody the most. And how can you motivate people around you? Mostly using your words by communicating with them. What do you think other young women can learn from your start-up story? Young women can benefit from my start-up story knowing that in life you don’t have to depend on anyone, you can create your future. The best way you can predict your future is to create it. You are your own boss knowing how to bake, design and style an event with confidence, you can be anything you desire with hard work and determination. If you’d like to share your story with She Leads Africa, let us know more about you and your story here.
Vivian Sonny-Nsirim: I have a passion to inspire and motivate young mothers
[bctt tweet=”YMF seeks to support & empower less privileged mothers and children in African societies” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] After working for a while in both the private and public sector, Vivian Sonny-Nsirim decided to follow her passion in supporting and inspiring young girls and women. She founded Young Moms Forum, an online parenting social support networking group for mothers and soon to be mothers. With over 26,000 members the group is aimed at sharing topics, ideas, issues, and challenges surrounding parenting, motherhood, business, relationships, and so on. As a wife and mother of three boys herself, Vivian is a coach and an award-winning inspirational/motivational speaker. How long has Young Moms Forum been in existence and what made you start such forum? Young Moms Forum (YMF) was founded in January 2016 out of my passion to inspire, motivate and educate mothers and soon-to-be mothers on parenting, motherhood, relationships, business, career and other matters of mutual interest. It is a platform whereby women from all works of life come together to share ideas on issues and challenges facing them; provide advice, personal experience and suggestions on how to manage such challenges. The Young Moms Support Foundation (an offshoot of YMF) seeks to support and empower less privileged mothers and children in the society, especially in Africa. How do you manage the forum to ensure unity among members and that the purpose of the forum is maintained? YMF has rules and regulations guiding the members. Any member that goes against the ground rules will be sanctioned. Depending on the severity of the indiscretion, they may be blocked from the group. This means that they will no longer have access to the group’s discussions and articles. With an MBA, one would expect you to grab the next high paid job in the industry. Why choose to be a motivational speaker? I have already done those “high paying” jobs both in Nigeria and the United Kingdom (including stints in the oil and gas industry and appointment in the public sector) but none has given me as much satisfaction as I derive from bringing succor to young mothers and mothers-to-be. Therefore, the driver for my opting to do what I am doing now is the passion in inspiring and motivating young mothers rather than pecuniary benefits. [bctt tweet=”Vivian Sonny-Nsirim has worked high paying jobs but opted for inspiring young mothers” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] You have stayed in both UK and Nigeria, how would you compare the way women support each other in the different societies? Women all over the world are the same and experience similar challenges. However, the difference lies in the level of education and literacy obtainable in each clime. The level of literacy among women in the UK is alleged to be higher than that of Nigeria reducing such bottlenecks as superstition, myths, unwholesome traditional practices, discrimination and the rest. This makes it easier for women to trust and support one another easier than they do in Nigeria. What are some of the mantras you live by? I believe that, if you try and fail, try again, if you want to change the world, empower a girl-child and, with God all things are possible. [bctt tweet=”Vivian Sonny-Nsirim: If you want to change the world, empower a girl-child ” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What is your take on being a stay-at-home mum versus a working mum? Which do you think is the better option? It depends on each woman’s peculiar circumstances and agreement with her partner. The underpinning focus should be on her family’s harmony. In your opinion, what are the four major keys to a long lasting marriage? My four keys to a long lasting marraige will be; effective communication, faithfulness, respect and forgiveness. Tell us two things on your bucket list. We want to build Young Moms Academy in at least 5 African countries where we can empower young mothers through skills acquisition. Secondly, we plan to embark on an enlightenment program to refresh young moms’ knowledge on how to run their homes better. We intend to accomplish these, especially the former, between the next two to five years. If you’d like to share your story with She Leads Africa, let us know more about you and your story here.
Essie Bartels: I immerse myself wherever I am
[bctt tweet=” l told myself l was going to give 100% of my vision into the brand. Nothing was going to be half-baked – Essie Bartels” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Spices and sauces are what turn insipid ingredients into gourmet food. We all love food, well at least l do and there is nothing disappointing in the life of a foodie like being served a dry meal that’s meant to be succulent. Yes, it’s all about the food and for food, it’s all about the bursts of flavor. Ghanaian #MotherlandMogul Essie Bartels knows the art of fine cookery and through her kitchen experiments, EssieSpice was established. Essie was born in Accra to a family of 9, she went to school in the central part of Ghana and moved to the USA at age 18. She has traveled to over 26 countries, lived on three continents and schooled in those three. Essie Bartels learnt how to cook from her mother and grandmother from when she was 8 years old. How did you turn your love for spices into a business? It was thanks to a lot of encouragement and support from family and friends. The plan was to continue working in corporate America and rising up the ranks and I was doing that. EssieSpice was a side gig. But with all the support, I kept going and when I lost my job, I decided to give EssieSpice a chance. What were some of your disappointments? There have been so many. Being disappointed by partners, investors, the government, writers who say they’ll publish your story, running out of funds, disappointments from ingredient producers. The list goes on. What has been the most successful strategy of marketing your spices? I think what has worked for me so far is my foundation. When I started out, I told myself I will give 100% of my vision into the brand. Nothing was going to be half-baked. I spent a substantial amount of money on research, on my labels, on my ingredients, on telling my story, and my overall branding. I think people identify with that and they understand how much I put in. They understand how that translates into the passion and love I have for EssieSpice. What is your favourite spice from your product range? I actually wish I had a favorite out of the 4 so I could answer everyone who interviews me but I really don’t. Anyone who’s tried the sauces will tell you how different they are. With products so different, it’s hard to pick one since they can be used for the same things but also completely varied and different applications. [bctt tweet=”I immerse myself wherever I am – Essie Bartels founder of @EssieSpice” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] How do you generate new ideas? I travel. I immerse myself wherever I am. Whether I’m back home researching new spices or in another country. I ask a lot of questions. I then come home and experiment. Some of the ideas come out of disasters of experiments as well. Which cuisine most inspires your spices? African and Asian cuisines. They are my favorite. What are your responsibilities as the owner of EssieSpice? Currently, I don’t have staff. Most of my workers are contract workers or outsourced. Once in a while, I have help from friends and family so ultimately I have all the responsibilities at EssieSpice. From sourcing ingredients to packaging to production to deliveries to demos to accounting to social media…you name it. But that will be changing soon. [bctt tweet=”Most of @EssieSpice’s workers are contract workers or outsourced” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Did the birth of EssieSpice cause any lifestyle changes? How? I can create my schedule now. That wasn’t the case before when I worked in corporate. I had to go with someone else’s schedule for my life. I also had to learn to budget a lot more and to be more organized with finance and schedules. Also knowing that once I create the product, it’s not about me anymore but the consumer. That brings a whole new perspective. Describe a kitchen disaster I remember I went to a market and I was told there was no power. So I needed to run to a Home Depot and get a generator to power our fryers and grills. But the generator could only power one thing at a time. It was an extremely hectic and difficult day but we pulled through. If you’d like to share your story with She Leads Africa, let us know more about you and your story here.
Mbali Peaceful Kgomo: Never a victim always a fighter
[bctt tweet=”For Mbali Peaceful Kgomo, being HIV positive won’t stop her from succeeding” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] It can be said that HIV is highly stigmatised in black communities in South Africa. People living with the virus choose not to disclose their status to others because of the prejudices they know they will have to face. However, this does not apply to 21-year-old Mbali Peaceful Kgomo who lives by the slogan, “Never a victim always a fighter“. A blogger, journalist, youth ambassador and the founder of WADA16 Campaign (World Aids day awareness), Mbali was born and bred in the roads of Ekangala. She says being HIV positive will not stop her from succeeding. Tell us about WADA16 When I found out about my status, I was miserable. I had so many questions to a point where I even questioned the point of living. I wished I could give God a call and give Him a piece of my mind, I didn’t understand and kept asking myself, “why me?”. Back then, I thought I had lost value and was nothing but useless. WADA brings awareness to our communities because as people we are ignorant about the virus and we’re often stigmatized. WADA is trying to bring positive change about what people think and how they look at those people who are infected with the HIV virus. You are currently involved in the second coming of Uthingo Mail, which means you will be playing a huge role in what media and information are shared with the young people of Siyabuswa. How do you plan to use this platform? A goal without a plan is just a wish. Firstly, I need to find people who are willing to be part of my team and who won’t give up along the way, people who are not lazy and who are willing to learn. I want to give young people the platform to experience new things and to recognise what they really want to do; I’m actually targeting high school learners. Before we can even go to print I’ll post their stories on our Facebook page first until I’m satisfied with their writing. I also need to find sponsors for the newspaper there’s actually a lot that needs to be done. You’ve been characterized as brave. Tell us how difficult it was for you to finally open up? Well at first it was really difficult to share my story until I had a mini argument with my cousin. She said to me, “You’re too young to be HIV positive, you should go fetch your pills.” This really hurt me so bad I felt useless at that moment and my reply to her was, “At least I know my status what about you (uhambe uyotesta) go test.” If I can recall then I decided to cut ties with her. I figured that I need to tell people about this, they need to be taught about HIV/AIDS because most people think when you’re positive you’re automatically on treatment and it’s not like that. There’s a certain stage you have to reach before taking medication and I must say I’m healthy and my CD4 count is above 500 so I’m not on treatment yet. [bctt tweet=”People need to be taught about HIV/AIDS – Mbali Peaceful Kgomo” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] I found out about my status on May 25, 2015, I was very angry, confused, disappointed and I felt so dirty at that moment. I couldn’t believe it was really me, I sat there and cried but then I had to pull myself together. When I went out that room, I felt so horrible deep inside. I even thought it was the end of my life but then it was only the beginning of great things. After finding out about my status I decided to get a tattoo on my back that’s written, “Never a victim always a fighter”. How has your life changed since you found out about your status? In the last two years, my life has changed dramatically. I was really an outgoing person and there were so many people in my life which I called “friends” who were really not true friends. I was a lost soul until I decide to cut them out of my life and associate myself with positive minded people. Look at me today, I’m a person I never thought I would be. Some people even look up to me, I’m just glad that I’m a different person than I was before. It is difficult to breathe in a black society when you are HIV, how do you overcome all the negativity? I will maintain the positive attitude I have always had and I won’t let anything stop me from doing what I do best. I will walk tall like nothing is happening even though there will be people who will look at me differently and talk bad about me. [bctt tweet=”Mbali Peaceful Kgomo: I won’t let anything stop me from doing what I do best” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] At the end of the day, I’m planning to change that as I will be spreading factual information about HIV. People need to understand that just because you’re positive it doesn’t mean you are sick, it’s just a virus living inside your blood. What was required to finally say, “Yes I am HIV and I am not ashamed”? It was three things, bravery, strength, and courage. You once said, “Tattoos are my medicine”, how so? Lol! I’ve got eight tattoos in total and they all have different meanings. The tattoo on my wrist is in memory of my late mother. When I got it, I was still grieving and it was so hard for me to accept her passing. But after getting the tattoo the pain I was feeling inside slowly faded away. I have another tattoo on the right side of my wrist, I got that one after being betrayed. It was actually a way of me forgiving that person but not forgetting what happened. I was